Bar Nights and Tiled Floors
by Torispeace
Summary: A tough day at work leads to getting wasted at the local bar, Molly's. Erin always knew she could count on Jay. He cared for her more than she would ever know...or in this case, remember.


**Hello, my beautiful, wonderful lovelies! I know what you're thinking… "What is she doing? This isn't a nick show!" I know, I know. But I love this so show so much! And I've shipped these characters together since the very beginning *heart eye emoji***

**Here it goes…**

_Chicago, Illinois _

_Chicago Police Department_

_7:23 am._

Detective Erin Lindsay sighed as tried to make her way up the steep stairs. She stopped half way and murderously looked at the last six steps she had to go. She downed another sip of her scorching cup of coffee and tried to drown out the migraine that was torturing her head. Last night was a rough one. Spending the better part of her night sitting on a bar stool at Molly's, Erin drank almost half her weight in alcohol. To be completely honest, she wouldn't have left if Herrmann had cut her off so abruptly and Jay insisted she went home.

_Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she opened the door to Molly's. Erin instantly looked around for her co-workers. Sure enough, they were all there, waiting for her at their usual table. She allowed a small smile to grace her lips as she made her way to her family. She made her way to the empty seat next to Jay and grabbed the drink that sat in front of him. She took a long swig of the burning drink and hoped that it was actually Jay's drink and not Alvin's, who had been standing next to Halstead. _

"_Hey," Jay smiled happily at her. He didn't seem fazed at all when she downed his drink. Erin smiled softly back at him and touched his arm with her hand slightly. _

"_Second round!" Ruzek shouted. Everyone cheered around the table; even Erin. She could use a drink right now…or seven. "So, who's buying?" He added hopefully. _

_Everyone laughed loudly and Atwater slammed a twenty dollar bill on the table for everyone's second go. _

"_That a man!" Ruzek lazily draped his arm over Kevin's shoulder. Atwater just shook his head and pulled the other man away from him. It looked as if Adam was already smashed. How many did he have before Lindsay showed up? Four? Five? It was always hard to tell with Ruzek. Usually, he had to watch his alcohol intake or else he would be wasted by his third drink or so. _

_Erin laughed for the first time that day and she let her stress level lower. She watched as Jay went up to the bar to two shots from Otis. He turned joyfully and the two downed the shots in a second. The vodka fixed with a sting lime juice burned its way down Erin's throat and for just a moment she forgot about the hell that was her day. _

_Around two hours later—or maybe it had been three? Erin stopped checking her watch after she had her third beer and fifth shot—Erin completely depended on Jay's shoulder for support. Not long ago she began to feel like she was flying; like she was floating above everyone. She could have sworn she was hovering, but she was soon proved wrong when her feet almost flew out from under her and Jay swiftly caught her and put a secure arm over her shoulder. Atwater excused himself from the party not long ago, claiming he needed to get home to his little sister. About an hour ago, Burgess and Ruzek decided to leave at the same time, coincidentally; taking the same cab home. Burgess desperately explained that it made more sense to share a taxi id their apartments were only two blocks from each other; Erin made a mental note to interrogate them both tomorrow—if she could remember. Olinsky left not long after he arrived. He claimed he had an early meeting with Vought in the morning and needed his sleep. Before he left, he insisted that Erin and Jay turn in soon, too._

_Erin giggled to herself and smiled childishly up at Jay. He noticed her intoxicated state and knew something needed to be done. _

"_Hey," He bent down and whispered in her ear. _

_She huffed a laugh out of her nose and looked at him again. "What?" _

"_How about we get home, okay?" _

"_You'll go home with me?" _

_Jay smiled, amused at the woman. _

"_Whatever you want Er," Jay rubbed her arm with his hand that draped over her shoulder as if it was made for it. The drunken police officer made an overjoyed hum and slapped two twenties on the tall bar table. _

"_Night, Herrmann," Jay waved while supported Lindsay on his left side. _

"_See ya, Halstead." Christopher saluted and continued his work on scrubbing the empty bar tables. _

_In the cold, snowy Chicago night, Erin shivered up Jay's arm. He noticed her discomfort and propped her against the brick wall of convenience store only twenty yards from Molly's. He shrugged his leather jacket off effortlessly and wrapped it tightly around shivering cop. Her eyelids drooped as she became even more intoxicated by his cologne that swam in his jacket and on the t-shirt he was wearing. Lindsay shuffled her feet on the pavement. She tried her best to keep up with Jay's pace, but his legs were longer and the alcohol mixed in her system didn't quite help her odds. It didn't take long for Halstead to notice that Erin was falling behind. HE was always aware of her; especially at the moment. He slowed his pace and held her tighter when she started going limp in his arms—she could barely hold herself up. _

_Jay sighed heavily and reached across to grab her purse from her left shoulder. When his hand scraped her collarbone on accident, Erin suddenly became fully aware for the moment. _

"_What are you doing?" She somehow found some strength in her voice and stood a little straighter, even though she still put most of her weight on his side. _

"_J-just reaching for your purse," He mumbled. He hadn't realized how close their faces came when she lifted her head. His cheeks burned and he hoped she just thought it was the weather getting to him. "I need your keys. We're almost there." _

_Erin nodded numbly and put her left arm out a little, giving him more room to open her purse and find her apartment key. When his fingers finally felt something cold and aluminum, he smiled successfully. He pulled out her set of keys. They consisted of her house key, her locker key at work, a small purple star keychain, and a key to his apartment. What? In case there was some type of emergency, Erin could come to his place and help him, or he would help her. He also had her key on his set that jingled his front pocket. _

_Finally, after fifteen minutes of practically carrying his partner from a bar, they made it back to her apartment building. He was surprised he didn't see the regular doorman in the lobby, but then he remembered it was around _3:30_ in the morning and no one was watching the door; except the cheap security cameras that needed to be replaced. Jay huffed as he pulled a half asleep girl into the elevator and pushed her floor number. He scooted to the back and rested against the slim metal bar with Erin held tightly to his waist. In the silence—which was usually rare with Erin—he heard the _Spice Girls _playing faintly from the elevators speakers. _

_After a few floors went by and Erin became heavy with the weight of sleep, he heard that precious ding of the doors and they opened to reveal a long hallway. He walked to the very end and turned a tiny corner that held her door. He put the key into the lock and twisted it. He turned the handle and he stumbled into her apartment. He grunted and sat her gently on the leather sofa. _

"_Erin," He bent down in front of her. "Hey, you're home." _

_Her eyes fluttered a little, but not enough to at least make out the television that sat a few feet from her. She hummed in response and her neck became loose as it fell to the arm of the couch. Jay laughed and picked her up. She would much rather be in her bed, he knew that. He laid her on the bed and turned to find her a change of clothes. Once he found a pair of pants and a sleep shirt in her dresser, he went to hand them to her. When he turned from the wall, he noticed she was no longer on the bed. Confusion was written all over Jay's face and you could see the creases in his forehead in pitch dark. When he saw a strip of light coming from the partially closed bathroom door, that's when he heard the awful retching sound. _She was throwing up, _he concluded. He dropped the pajamas on her bed and walked to the bathroom. He pushed open the door and saw her heaving over the toilet. He walked closer and sat next to her on the tiled floor. His hand caressed her back softly and he rubbed gentle circles on her shoulders as she coughed up the bile that was swimming in her throat. After she finished emptying the contents of her stomach into the large piece of porcelain, she pushed herself back and sat with her back against the cold tub. Jay moved with her and put his arm around her shoulders. Erin pushed herself down a little to fit in between his arm and his side. _

"_Thank you for staying, Jay." Erin mumbled into the fabric of his black t-shirt. _

"_Anytime, Er, anytime." Jay kissed the top of her head. Oh, how he wished he could kiss her forehead…or her lips. But right now, she just needed him to be there for her, and he always would be. Soon, he heard light snores fall from her nose and he closed his eyes once he knew she was sound asleep. It didn't take him as long to fall asleep as it did the last time. He's had his fair shares of spending the night on the bathroom floor with Erin. About a month ago, they were at his place having a few drinks. Jay downed one too many and he spent the night right where Erin is now. She had laid on that floor with him all night while he hunched over the toilet and hid his forehead in the crook of her neck. But now it was her who needed him and he would always be there for her no matter the consequences. They've been through thick and thin together and he wouldn't trade it for the world; he knew Erin wouldn't either. They were perfectly perfect for each other, but neither one was ready to admit anything just yet…at least not while they worked in Vought's unit. _

Erin sighed and toughed it out through the next few stairs. She finally made her way inot the Intelligence Unit and when she looked up from the coffee she held in her hand, she saw Jay smiling at her and she smiled right back. _  
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